Is Day Zero Coming?

It sounds apocalyptic, and for the residents and companies of Cape Town, South Africa, it may very well be.

Cape Town has called “Day Zero,” the moment in time when the city’s water supply is expected to be depleted. Day Zero was anticipated for April 2018, but has been pushed back to May 11 because other regions in South Africa have supplied a billion liters. 

Whether or not Day Zero happens, water could well be a concern for the corporate real estate profession, according to an article in The Financial Times.

“Water will become more valuable than oil as rising demand from people, industries and agriculture puts pressure on supplies, according to the chief executive of French utility Suez. (CEO) Jean-Louis Chaussade…said water scarcity posed one of the biggest challenges facing industries such as chemicals, drugs, mining and energy.

Asked whether water would one day be a more valuable commodity than oil, Mr Chaussade told the Financial Times: “In future, probably yes.”